Are you a Type A perfectionist?

I wish perfectionism was called something else. People usually don’t brag about being lazy or disorganized, but you may hear someone say, “Ugh, I’m such a perfectionist.” If you are a Type A perfectionist, there’s a higher chance that you’re praised by people around you because you appear high functioning. On the other hand, Type B perfectionists are busy procrastinating and

may be hiding under a rock, waiting to actualize their potential. I find it fascinating that even though Type A overworks and Type B seems to freeze, both behaviors stem from a common underlying pattern: striving for perfection.

Here are 5 common potential behaviors I spot in my Type A perfectionist

clients:

1. They are usually high functioning members of society. They do a job well and the bar is high in whatever they do.

2. They are super critical of themselves. Being satisfied with their efforts? That’s something they rarely experience.

3. They set unrealistically high expectations for themselves and the projects they work on.

4. They overextend and overwork to reach those unrealistic standards.

5. Since perfection is literally impossible in life, they are often burnt out without even realizing it. If a Type A perfectionist has become my client, they are somewhat aware of their burnout and are finally ready to address this behavioral pattern.

4 Strategies that Help a Type A Perfectionist

1. Recognize that this is a coping mechanism: Accepting that perfectionism is a coping mechanism that has served them up to this point but is also incredibly taxing. It’s costing them their health, time, and the satisfaction they deserve in life.

2. Set a timer when working: Allocating a specific number of hours to work on a project and committing not to work beyond that time. As long as the targeted outcome is achieved, they practice stopping when the time is up. They embrace sentiments like, “Perfect is the enemy of good” or “Done is better than perfect.”

3. Focus on what went well: After a presentation or project submission, intentionally identifying what went well before focusing on what could be improved. Perfectionists easily pinpoint what they think went wrong or how things could be better, but they often struggle to answer the question, “So, what do you think went well?”

4. Celebrate along the way: Type A perfectionist cringes at the idea of celebrating after finishing a task or project. They don’t believe their accomplishment is worth celebrating or that it’s significant enough. They often feel like they’re tricking their brain and that it won’t work. To counter this,I make sure that they practice celebrating progress with simple acts. What feels unnatural at first starts creating change overtime. Examples of what my clients came up with are ordering food from their favorite restaurant, applying face mask and taking a warm bath, ordering coffee with favorite flavor and whip cream, going on a weekend get-away with a loved one.

Questions to journal on:

If you resonate with Type A perfectionist behaviors, here are some questions that would help you explore if a different way of being is possible. Remember, you don’t need to stop doing anything differently. You can still hold onto your perfectionist tendencies. Knowing that, explore the following questions freely.

Take a deep breath? Nice, and start here:

● Define perfection. What is perfection to me?

● Why am I chasing perfection?

● How do I feel when I’m working on a project for hours and hours on end?

● What am I postponing when I prioritize working on a project over everything else?

● Who would I be if I stopped striving for perfection?

● What would happen if I let people criticise me or my work?

● Whose criticism should I disregard if I receive it?

● Whose feedback I should value and seek for?

I help my clients answer similar questions and many more during our sessions. We also get specific as real life occurrences happen and discuss how they can take care of themselves around their perfectionist tendencies while also achieving their goals along the way. If I had only one piece of advice for this topic, I’d say: “Remember, perfect is the enemy of good

and done is better than perfect!”

Xoxo,

Busra

P.S. If these journaling prompts resonated with you, you will enjoy a coaching session where someone (me!) reflects on your answers and creates a deeper dive. I’d be thrilled to get a peak at how your unique mind works. Feel free to reach me here.